Cabbie’s Cooking

I made this last December when we had a Christmas party at our house.  I bought a box of frozen cream puffs from Sam’s and served this fudge sauce in a dish beside the cream puffs.  Oh my goodness!  It was WONDERFUL!  I could have eaten it all by myself.  Just phenomenal!  The recipe comes from my oldest sister, Janice.

FUDGE SAUCE

1/2 cup cocoa (or 5 squares chocolate)
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
dash of salt

Melt the above ingredients together over low heat.

Add: 1 can evaporated milk (13 oz.)
Bring to a boil, but don’t boil. Store in refrigerator.

My brother-in-law, Gilbert, sent me this recipe. I haven’t tried it yet, but Gilbert swears this is delicious! He tells me that one of ladies who is a good cook in his department makes this for their monthly birthday celebrations.  I wondered where the “Mexican” part of the recipe comes from, and he explained that the blending of cinnamon and chocolate - along with the pecans is a distinctly Mexican combination.  If you give the recipe a try, let me know how it turns out.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PECAN RICHES

3 squares (1oz each) unsweetened baking chocolate
1/3 c. butter or margarine
4 eggs
1½ c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1 ½ t. vanilla
Dash cinnamon
1 1/3 c. pecan halves (can add more)

In top of double boiler or in heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter; set aside to cool. In large bowl beat eggs to blend, then beat in sugar, corn syrup, chocolate mixture, vanilla & cinnamon. Stir in pecans. Pour into greased 2 qt, 2 inch deep baking dish. Place in pan with ½ inch hot water. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until just set.  Remove from water, cool thoroughly on rack.  Spoon into dessert dishes.  Makes 8 generous servings.

This is a recipe I’ve had for almost forty years.  It is the quintessential, absolutely perfect combination of chocolately deliciousness.  I first got this recipe back in 1969 shortly after RT and I were married.  The recipe came from his mother, Lillian, and I asked her for the recipe after tasting the pie for the first time after that Thanksgiving dinner many many years ago.  It is my absolute top favorite pie. Give it a try.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons flour

4 Tablespoons cocoa

2 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cooked pie shell

Place dry ingredients, milk and eggs into a small saucepan.  Mix well and cook on medium heat until thick, stirring constantly.  Pour into a cooked pie shell.  Cool.

Meringue:  Beat the two egg whies until stiff.  Fold in 1/4 cup sugar and mix until dissolved.  Spread the meringue on top of the cooled pie.  Pop into a 350 oven for about ten minutes to brown the meringue.

I’ve been raiding my mother’s (Ruthlace) recipe book.  There are several reasons for this: I love to cook,  she has so many wonderful recipes, and people are always looking for good, tried-and-true recipes.  I’m not sure where she got this recipe, but I’ve made it and it’s wonderful and delicious.  It’s a great recipe to make with children because there’s no cooking involved (except for melting the chocolate/paraffin coating mixture),  and it makes such a great presentation. It looks MUCH harder than it is.  Here’s the easy (and delicious) recipe for candy.  Easy Christmas Candy

Christmas (or anytime) Candy

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 box confectioners sugar

1 stick margarine or butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Mix together well.  Roll into balls (marble-size).  Place in the refrigerator to harden for an hour.  Stick a toothpick in each ball.  In a double boiler melt the following:

1 cup chocolate (baking chocolate - semi-sweet is good but you could also use dark chocolate or white chocolate)

1 cup paraffin (equal parts to the chocolate). 

Dip each candy ball in the chocolate mixture, hold in the air for a moment to dry and place on wax paper and remove the toothpick.  Once you’ve dipped all the candy balls, you can use a small spoon to add a drop of the chocolate mixture to cover the hole made by the toothpick.  They’re ready to eat immediately.

This will look and taste like something that was complicated and took a long time.  However, it is quick and easy.

EASY Brownie Dessert

1 box brownie mix (any kind)

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

1 small container whipped topping

1/2 cup crumbled toffee (You can find Heath Bar toffee crumbles next to chocolate chips in the grocery store.)

Follow the package directions to make and bake the brownies.  Cool. 

Follow the package directions to make the pudding. 

Spread the pudding on top of the brownies in the pan.  Spread the whipped topping on top of the pudding.  Sprinkle the crumbled toffee pieces on top.  Cut into squares and serve.

Variation: You can add a “kick” to this dessert by mixing a couple tablespoons of Kahlua to the pudding.

Variation: You can make it look fancier by putting it into a clear trifle bowl.  First spread a layer of pudding on the bottom.  Then break up the brownies and use half to make a layer of brownie pieces, then a layer of half the remaining pudding, and next a layer of half the whipped topping.  Then another layer of brownie, pudding and whipped topping.  Sprinkle the toffee pieces on top.  Voila!

Variation:  You can also experiment with various types of brownie mix and pudding flavors.  However, you just can’t beat CHOCOLATE!